Combined grave marker and receptacle



y 24, 1962 J. M. LUCKEN ETAL 3,04

COMBINED GRAVE MARKER AND RECEPTACLE Filed Oct. 27, 1960 20 ii 36 A 40"i INVENTORfi- JOHN M. LUCKEN RICH/1 RD FP. CLEMMER zz 6 BY 7 WM ATTORNEY Unite State The present invention relates to memorial markersand, more particularly, to a hinged grave marker adapted to contain anddisplay various memorial records and the like.

The present invention is a continuation-in-part of our prior copendingapplication Serial No. 6,327, now abandoned- One object of the presentinvention is to provide an improved remembrance memorial suitable forcemetery use.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a combinedgrave marker and receptacle adapted to identify a deceased and at thesame time preserve for periodic viewing suitable remembrance items ofthe deceased. These may include photographs, personal history data,records of the funeral service and the like.

Another object of the invention is to provide a flushwith-the-lawnmemorial adapted to permanently identify a grave while at the same timeproviding a weatherproof, readily accessible repository for documentsand other items paying tribute to the deceased.

A further object of the invention is to provide a memorial of the typedescribed that is relatively easy to manufacture, low in cost, easy tomaintain, and suitable for cemeteries of all types without sacrifice offamily prestige.

Yet another object of this invention is to provide a flush-type gravemarker having means for permanently storing remembrances therein andcharacterized by sufficient strength to resist the impact and weightimposed thereon by lawn conditioning equipment.

Another object of this invention is to provide novel means for storingand displaying remembrance items and the like in a flush-with-the-lawngrave marker.

A still further object of this invention is to provide aflush-with-the-lawn grave marker shaped so as to protect the identifyinginscription on the top surface thereof.

Details of these objects and of the invention, as well as other objectsthereof are set forth in the following specification and are illustratedin the attached drawing forming a part thereof.

In the drawing:

FIGURE 1 is a top plan view of the invention with part of the covermember broken away;

FIGURE 2. is a plan view of the undersurface of the grave marker covermember comprising part of the invention;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged side view of the invention with parts brokenaway to show the hinge and guide pin assembly; I

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken along theline-4-4 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 5 is a plan view of the undersurface of the base membercomprising part of the invention;

FIGURE 6 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view illustrating themanner in which memorial records and the like are contained in theinvention;

FIGURE 7 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken along the line77 of FIGURE 1; and

FIGURE 8 is a fragmentary front View of the invention.

Referring to the drawing by characters of reference and moreparticularly to FIGURE 1 thereof, reference character A indicates theinvention in its entirety. A vertically slim base member 20, preferablymade of cast bronze or like material, constitutes the lower receptacleportion of marker A. Base member 20 is shown as generally rec- 3,45,374Patented July 24, 1%62 tangular in plan view although it may becharacterized by other shapes. To reduce the weight of base member 20 itis cast with an outer depending lower wall 22 joined near the top by ahorizontal shelf or platform 24. Platform 24 is recessed from the topedge of wall 22 a distance suflicient to form a shallow upper surface 26that is divided into compartments 28 by means of transverse ribs 30flush with the top of wall 22.

Compartments 28 are preferably of equal size and parallel to each otherand to the short edges of base member 20. In the case of a marker ofreduced size than that shown, a single compartment may be employed. Asillustrated in FIGURE 5, the bottom of base member 20 is equipped withthreaded bosses 32 adapted to receive suitable concrete or stonefastening members (not shown) when the marker is installed upon a stoneor concrete base in a flush with the lawn position.

Carried at the rear longitudinal edge of base member 20 are a pair ofspaced hinge lugs 34 drilled to receive hinge pins 36. An upstandingapertured member 36 is cast into the forward longitudinal edge of basemember 20 to provide suitable locking or securing means for the cover 40of marker A. Guide pins 38 are staked into the forward corners of basemember 20 as shown in FIG- URE l.

Hingedly mounted on base member 20 is grave marker cover member 40.Cover member 40, also vertically slim, is generally rectangular in shapeand preferably cast of the same material as base member 20. The externaldimensions of cover member 40 slightly exceed those of base member 20,the difference resulting in a depending outer lower flange 42 adapted tooverly the upper edges of base member 20, as at 43 in FIGURE 4. A matinglower surface 44 is provided in cover member 40 for engagement with thetop corresponding surface 41 of base member 20. As shown in FIGURE 2,cover member 40 has a plurality of shallow recessed transversecompartments 45 on the undersurface thereof. Ribs 47 are arranged tomate with ribs 30 to strengthen the assembly when it is closed.

Hinge recesses 46 are provided along the rear longitudinal edge of covermember 40 to permit the hinging of cover member 40' to base member 20-by means of hinge pins 36. Means (not shown) for restricting the arethrough which cover 40 rotates may be cast integral with lugs 34. Thevertical dimension and contour of the entire hinge assembly isnecessarily reduced in keeping with the low profile desired in theoverall structure.

Considering further details of cover member 40, guide holes 48 areprovided on surface 44 at the outer corners thereof to slidably receiveguide pins 38 when marker A is closed. A threaded fastener 50 is carriedin cover member 40 for engagement with apertured member 36 of basemember 20 to provide a positive closure when marker A is in a normallyclosed position. Along the top edge of cover member 40 a raisedrelatively narrow shoulder 52 is provided which protects the upper flatsurface 54 of cover member 40 from damage due to trafiic and the like.Drainage slots 56 are milled into the corners as indicated in FIGURE 7.Further provided along the longitudinal forward edge of cover member 40are a pair of hand engageable recesses 56 that are normally hidden fromview when cover member 40 is closed, as shown in FIGURES 2 and 8.

Positioned in an appropriate manner upon the upper surface 54 of covermember 40 are characters or other indicia 58 pertaining to the deceased.These may be cast into the cover or they may be supplied later and theneither staked in or secured thereto with suitable fastening means. Othersymbols characteristic of the occasion may be placed upon or castintegral with the upper surface 54 of cover member 40. It is thusapparent that when cover member 40 of marker A is in a normally closedposition the unit functions primarily as a grave marker by virtue of itsexterior design, indicia 58 and other symbolic representations.

The receptacle and memorial record mounting features of grave marker Aare shown in detail in FIGURES 4 and 6 of the drawing. Compartments 28of base member 20 are designed to contain memorials 60 of the deceasedsuch as photographs, documents carrying personal histories, accounts ofthe funeral and other suitable records. Similarly, compartments 45 ofcover member 40 may be used for the same purpose. In the installation ofthese records, etc. in base member 20, each memorial 60 is sized to fitwithin compartments 28 and 45 and then laminated between superposedthermoplastic sheets 62 and 64, as by heat sealing along the outer edges66 thereof. The resulting laminated sandwich is then placed with thelower surface of sheet 64 engaging flat surface 26 of compartment 28, ora corresponding face of compartment 45. Sealing is accomplished bycementing, with a suitable adhesive that will insure a permanent bond,the lower sheet 64 to surface 26. If desired, the upper edges and sidesof the sandwich may also be bonded to ribs 30, 47, of base member 20 andcover member 40, but in general this is not necessary. It has been foundthat memorials 60 may be etched in aluminum or other metallic sheets andthen laminated between the two sheets of thermoplastic material toobtain even greater protection against the effects of aging. Photographsand other documents may be processed in this way to provide a lastingmemorial.

Thus there has been shown and described a new and improved grave markerand memorial receptacle. In its closed position the invention serves asa dignified yet attractive means of identifying a grave; in its openposition the invention permits a ready inspection of memorials andrecords pertaining to the deceased. By virtue of its novel constructionthe aforementioned features are obtained without sacrificing thevertically slim profile or weatherproof characteristics necessary forsuch a device.

It is believed that our invention, its mode of construction andassembly, and many of its advantages should be readily understood fromthe foregoing without further description, and it should also bemanifest that while a preferred embodiment of the invention has beenshown and described for illustrative purposes, the structural detailsare nevertheless capable of wide variation within the purview of ourinvention as defined in the appended claim.

We claim:

A combination grave marker and memorial record receptacle including aflat base member provided at its lower surface with an upstandingperipheral flange, the upper surface of the said base member having atleast one recessed compartment therein, said compartment adapted toreceive records, and a cover member mounted on and parallel to said baseby a hinge, the upper surface of said cover member having an upstandingperipheral flange, said upper surface adapted to receive indicia andsaid peripheral flange adapted to protect any indicia on-said uppersurface, the said peripheral flange on said cover member beingdiscontinuous, the discontinuities thereof communicating with notches inthe said cover member, the said discontinuities and notches constitutingdrainage means to drain the upper surface of the cover member, said basemember being provided, at spaced portions thereof, with a plurality ofupstanding guide pins which mate with complementary recesses in the saidcover to thereby form guide means to maintain the cover and base membersin proper alignment.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS291,106 Strong Jan. 1, 1884 296,431 Miller Apr. 8, 1884 1,425,361 BeroudAug. 8, 1922 1,983,807 Norman Dec. 11, 1934

